You Win
by greywitch99
Summary: An AU rather fluffy oneshot with a hint of bitter sweetness set in a world where our characters lead normal lives. Halloweenesque oneshot. It has a Halloween backdrop. They decide to go pumpkin picking and end up having a pumpkin carving contest. Who will win?


Author's note: Hello to all. This oneshot contains a fair bit of Lelouch, C.C. and Nunnally with a bit more of a focus on Lelouch and C.C.. There is Lelouch x C.C.. I would say in general the story is rather fluffy and there's a little bit of angst but not that much. Actually this is really my first stab at fluff...all my other stories have more angst to them, on one level or another. This story turned out a lot longer than I intended and was completed in a short time frame. I just really wanted to get it out for Halloween because even though it can be read whenever...it is a Halloweenesque fic.

Well...I really hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"Brother?"

"Yes Nunnally?" came the gentle reply. The young man crouched down by his sister's pink wheelchair, placing a hand on the armrest.

"Can we go to get pumpkins to make jack-o'-lanterns this year?"

He tried to conceal the concern in his amethyst eyes, but the young woman caught his apprehension, her lavender eyes doleful as she pleading stared at him.

"I know you're busy with your studies, and I know you have other things to worry about but I just thought it would be nice. Just the three of us. I mean because I'm..."

The raven-haired man's jaw clenched with apprehension, obviously struggling to resist his darling sister's innocent, pleading eyes.

"Nunnally...I don't think that's such a good idea. Your body is about to undergo a lot of strain and it's cold outside. Going out to get pumpkins could cause you to catch a cold. Your body can't take that strain on top of everything right now. It's not the best idea..."

The girl's slender shoulders sagged with the weight of disappointment. "O-okay. I'm sorry big brother. I shouldn't have asked so much. You're right."

"Don't listen to your brother Nunnally. We can go." The girl turned toward the new speaker, her face transforming into a brilliant smile.

"Really?"

"Of course." The speaker offered a warm smile to the young lady.

Her brother was not so enthused however. He snapped his head around to glare at the girl who had been watching the scene, curled up like a cat on the couch. The green waterfall of hair flowed over the side of the plush couch and she wore nothing but one of his own black dress shirts, loosely hanging from her slim frame.

"C.C.!" he snapped, his entire demeanor changing in an instant. "Don't promise such things. You know it's unwise." He gave her a harsh look. C.C. merely raised one eyebrow, and smirked amusedly at the brunette. He continued to glare and C.C. just sighed.

"Don't be so melodramatic Lelouch."

"I'm not being melodramatic. I'm being cautious and taking care of my sister properly. She's at a delicate stage. She can't afford to get sick."

"She's not going to."

"You don't know that."

"One day out isn't going to hurt. You can't keep shutting her in just because she has cancer. She still needs the opportunity to_ live_."

Lelouch's eyes widened at having the argument brought up again. They had this conversation before, though not in the presence of the topic of discussion. His visage soured as he sternly countered, "I'm the medical student here. I think I should know how to handle this better than you do."

"And you're also the overprotective, doting brother who won't allow that young_ woman_ to make any decisions for herself," C.C. calmly replied.

"C.C..." Lelouch growled the warning.

"She's seventeen Lelouch. If she says she's feeling well enough to go out then why not take the opportunity?"

Lelouch opened his mouth to respond once again but was interrupted by a soft voice and a gentle touch on the hand.

"I can just bundle up. I won't catch a cold, and C.C. is right. I still need a chance to really live even if I'm sick. I want to make the best of it. Especially if my days are coming to an end."

Lelouch's eyes widened at her words. He turned to her and quickly said, "You shouldn't speak of such things. You'll be fine. You'll beat this." She bit her lip, her confidence faltering, but her eyes flicked to C.C. who gave an encouraging smile as her concerned brother continued, "But if you go you run the risk of-"

"I'd like to go," Nunnally interrupted, more confidently this time. "You should listen to your girlfriend sometimes brother. Some fresh air will do me some good and she's right. I'll be fine." A smile spread over her delicate lips. "I promise." She gave Lelouch's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Nunnally..." His eyes searched her face. After a moment's contemplation he finally caved. "Fine. But if even for a moment you don't feel well we're coming straight back home. Agreed?"

"Of course. But you don't need to worry Lelouch. And brother?"

"Hm?"

"Could we have a contest?"

"A contest?" He asked, a little surprised.

"Mhm. We each would get a pumpkin and carve it. Then whichever one is best wins. I think it would be fun. And that way we all have to get pumpkins. Even you Lelouch."

"Who said I wasn't going to get one?"

"It sounds like the sort of thing you would do. But can we?"

"I suppose if you want to Nunnally..."

She grinned in response. "I do. But don't expect to win brother. I'm going to beat both of you."

"You are, are you?"

"Yup." She smiled angelically up at him.

"Well all right." Lelouch stood and just sighed, running a hand through his silky ebony locks. Crossing his arms he turned to Nunnally saying, "We'll get you ready then. I'll go get some scarves and gloves and your jacket. You just wait here. And you." He turned to his emerald-haired, golden-eyed girlfriend and simply sighed. "And you go put on some actual clothes like the respectable woman you aren't."

C.C. chuckled lightly. "These are actual clothes Lelouch."

Lelouch gave her a dubious look. "You're not wearing any pants," he pointed out.

"This shirt is big enough to act as a small dress." She paused, giving him a sly, all-knowing smile, her eyes twinkling playfully. "Besides...you weren't complaining about my lack of clothing last night. If anything you seemed eager to take what little I did have on off."

"C.C.!" A deep crimson blush instantly spread across his usually fair cheeks. Upon seeing the blush C.C.'s smirk softened into a warm smile, the edges of her aurous eyes crinkling in her affection.

"You're always so cute when you blush," C.C. teased. His blush deepened and her smile only grew wider. Nunnally's own cheeks had a light red dusting and she let out a soft giggle. She was used to their playful banter by now.

"J-just go get dressed already." He locked his gaze on the suddenly fascinating coffee table, struggling to cast off the blush still evident on his face.

"Commanding as ever." She turned, eyes still shining with amusement and a smile still on her face.

She left the two Lamperouge siblings to prepare themselves and directed her attention to herself by replacing the loose black shirt with her own attire once she entered her and Lelouch's shared bedroom. She returned to find the two siblings she lived in this house with bundled up. Lelouch more appropriately with a simple jacket, pair of gloves, and scarf over his usual clothing. The girl looked more marshmallow than girl in her thick coat, think mittens, hat, blanket, fuzzy boots, and more scarves than C.C. cared to count. The woman eyed the two suspiciously.

"Isn't that my scarf and my mittens she's wearing?"

"I used all our spare clothing."

"Like I said, aren't they mine?"

"Like I said, I used all our spare clothes." Lelouch looked proud at the sight of his sister, like a cat puffing out his chest as he lays his kill on his master's unwelcoming lap.

"You can have them C.C.. I already have more than enough," Nunnally offered, her words muffled by the cloth wrapped around the lower part of her face.

"No Nunnally. You need them more than she does. C.C. will be fine. Right C.C.?"

"Apparently." She sighed. "Isn't that a bit overkill though? It isn't all that cold outside. It's still fall, not the middle of winter in Siberia."

"This is absolutely necessary. I won't have my little sister catching a cold."

"Do what you like. Now come doofus and Nunnally. I think it's about time to get pumpkins. Especially if we're going to carve them today." C.C. walked past her lover and up behind Nunnally's wheelchair, which she pushed forward, heading out the door.

"If anyone's the doofus it's you pizza witch," Lelouch muttered, trailing behind and locking the door of their house as he exited. Nunnally merely giggled at their antics.

* * *

"This is organized horribly. Why should their customers be forced to go on a hay ride just to get pumpkins? They have perfectly good soil and an empty field right up front where they could easily grow pumpkins. It would allow us to accomplish our goal and be on our way efficiently. It isn't even like it's a money grab. They don't charge you for it. It's just takes more time and effort for everyone involved. If it were me in charge I could increase production, reduce expenses and in turn increase profits twofold. This is utterly ridiculous. And they don't even have any means of getting a wheelchair onto the cart. We're going to have to leave it behind. And that means leaving Nunnally's blanket." The disgruntled young man huffed. He'd been rambling on about the supposed lack of professionalism and efficiency for the last several minutes.

"She really doesn't need the blanket Lelouch. She's sweating as it is. And besides the chair would get stuck in the mud." He wasn't listening.

"And they make you wait for twenty minutes in the cold. You can't even sit in your car because you have to come up the path from the parking lot and wait here. I would file a complaint but wait...there is no one to complain to. They're just slack farm folk who don't care in the slightest whether or not they have an ill girl in their midst. And just look at all these people. Smiling like ignorant fools. They don't care. Oh look there comes the cart. And everyone's ridiculous grins are growing ever wider. How delightful," Lelouch said sarcastically. "Fools," he muttered.

"Look around genius. Everyone here is a family with small children. Of course they're smiling. Kids like horses. We're the odd ones here." C.C.'s statement was true. The young couple with a seventeen year old girl stuck out. "Just enjoy yourself Lelouch," the young woman chided. He got like this sometimes. She just had to deal with it. It was just part of his personality, and she had to admit she tended to find it rather amusing. C.C. subtlety smiled at him.

"I think it's rather fun. It's nice to get outside and spend time together." Nunnally smiled, though the expression was partially hidden by the excessive layers she had donned at her brother's command. She was being carried piggyback by her older brother.

"See?" C.C. gave the other girl a small smile. "Nunnally has the right idea." Lelouch frowned but fell silent as the cart, pulled by two Clydesdales, approached, stopping in front of the waiting passengers.

The previous group all hopped off, orange pumpkins cradled in their arms. The children smiled and laughed as they rushed forward, parents following a bit more slowly behind them. She watched them curiously. She wasn't being as negative towards the whole experience as Lelouch, but this entire scene felt so foreign to her. She'd never experienced something like this before. Though she was more subtle about it than Nunnally, she liked it. She probably enjoyed it just as much as the sweet girl, though the grown twenty-one year old woman wouldn't admit it. She stared after the laughing kids dazedly, lost in thought.

The rest of the passengers had boarded the wagon and it was their turn, though C.C. hadn't moved. Lelouch noticed, turning back to her after taking a step or two.

"C.C., it's our turn."

"What?" She asked, finally tearing her eyes away from the spot she had been staring at. The words broke her from her reverie. Seeing the situation she just said, "oh."

"You don't want to get left behind do you?" Nunnally asked jokingly.

"It's tempting...having a break from you two...but I think I'll come along," C.C. joked back, the slightest of smiles changing her face from an expressionless mask.

The trio sat along the bench on the inside of the wagon and the cart lurched into motion as the horses began pulling them in the direction of the field and barn off in the distance. Some trees lined the path they took, and more could be seen in the distance at the edges of the dull brown field dotted with vibrant orange. A crisp biting wind rustled the dry leaves, creating a faint chorus of whispers to fill the air. A few leaves torn from their places on the reaching branches floated to join their fallen brethren already littering the ground. The once green leaves all turned to vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows set the trees aflame, contrasting against the clear blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight in the vast expanse of periwinkle. The sun shone down from its apex. Everything was clear and bright, crisp, and sharp. The chilly air cut into her carelessly exposed flesh, causing the porcelain skin of her cheeks to flush slightly. She didn't mind. C.C. liked the feel of the air on her skin and the shivers it sent up her spine each time it blew through her hair, causing her scalp to prickle from the sensation. She sat quietly, enjoying the sight and idly listening to the pleasant chatter the Lamperouges kept up beside her.

"The trees are so pretty Lelouch. Don't you think?"

"Yes they are. They are quite beautiful indeed."

"My birthday is in a few days. Do you think we could get some pumpkin pie from the market? I think it would be nice to have some."

"Of course Nunnally. You can have anything you want. But I can make it. It will be better that way. My cooking is far superior to factory made products. Right C.C.?"

"Mhm," she responded absentmindedly.

The conversation was fading from her mind, being replaced by other thoughts. There barn they were approaching was most likely filled with hay, stored for the winter. There might be swings and maybe you could even jump into piles of hay like she heard you could.

C.C. wasn't quite so sure why she was slowly becoming so fixated on the idea, but she'd never done anything of the sort. She was an orphan. She didn't have parents like these kids. She grew up in a foster home. It wasn't in the best neighborhood and her foster 'parents', if you could really call them that, had always been rather cruel. They had called her names and even went so far as to physically abuse her. It had damaged her significantly, causing her to build up a wall and in secret lose any self-esteem she ever had. Their harsh words and derogatory comments always seemed lurk at the corners of her mind, pouncing when she let her guard down. She never liked it there. A feeling of dread crept over her as the memories intruded her mind.

After some time she had gotten fed up with her living situation so she just up and left at the age of seventeen. She decided she would make her own way in the world. It had to be better than that wretched place, she'd thought. But it was more difficult than she anticipated. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and she refused to go 'home'. She ended up like all the other homeless men and women on the streets. She took to dumpster diving and sleeping in whatever place she could find. That's when she met Lelouch.

She had ended up sleeping in an alley when some teenage boy practically ran over her late one night, on his way back home from a chess match. At first he'd been irritated, but he quickly realized she was out there because she was homeless. He felt bad for getting angry and he started asking if she had a place to go. She kept working around the subject. She even tried to leave but the stubborn kid refused to allow her to escape alone. He followed her and ended up dragging her along by the wrist to a homeless shelter, making sure she was taken care of. She was, but then she left again. And she wandered as usual for a month. Then she ran into him again. He did the same thing. She had made an impression on him and couldn't stop wondering how the young woman ended up out there in the first place. The next day he showed up at the shelter to find the mysterious green-haired girl gone. He found her again, and again brought her to the shelter. But each time she just left the shelter almost immediately as he left. After their consistent meetings she pieced together that he was deliberately keeping track of her, unable to just let her be, and after some confrontation and accusations of him being a stalker he admitted to it. He was keeping a watchful eye on her. He then offered her money, which she took, but it soon ran out. And he found her again and gave her more, and food as well. She couldn't afford to refuse so she accepted the gifts yet again. That pattern continued and he figured out some of her story from a careless few words here and there and not to mention some pestering questions. He kept giving her money and food, clothes and other little things. But slowly the boy realized that no matter what he did she was stuck out here, in the cold streets all alone. And he found he couldn't get himself to drop it. They continued to meet for several months, now no longer really truly strangers. He saw she wasn't a bad person and vice versa. One night he made a decision as a weather watch for a nasty blizzard aired on television.

The boy named Lelouch came again, but this time he didn't bring anything. It was just him. He took her by the hand and dragged her home. He told her she could stay for the night, to wait out the storm. She did, but then she never left. She stayed another night. The more kind-hearted Nunnally convinced him to let her stay for a while. Nunnally liked her, and though he wouldn't admit it, she was growing on him as well. So despite his supposed regretted decisions of 'bringing in a stray' she ended up living there. Being eighteen by then, she was legally an adult. She didn't need a guardian. She learned he and his crippled sister lived alone together. Their parents were dead but had left behind a small fortune as their inheritance. Their guardians were the Ashfords, who were never around. Effectively they were on their own.

She went back to school and graduated high school at Lelouch's urgings(more like commands really). Lelouch had graduated early being the brilliant boy he was and being fueled by the desire to help his sister, and by now at twenty had just started his first year of medical school. C.C., a year older than him, was in her first year of university.

A few spats, a few awkward confrontations, an unexpected kiss, and an awkward and flustered confession by Lelouch later and they had admitted they liked each other and had begun dating, and in time, fell in love. And just as quickly, C.C. came to love his little sister Nunnally who had now somewhat recently received her diagnosis of cancer. Now both paralyzed from the waist down and cancer ridden, the poor girl was just trying to enjoy life with days like this.

It sounded like some cheesy romance novel she swore, but she liked it. It was her story. Or rather theirs, the three of them. C.C. was happy. All three of them were.

C.C. took a deep breath, the sweet smell of decaying leaves smothering her senses, and the crisp air revitalizing her as it sent electricity through her veins. She felt at peace, but she realized someone was calling her name.

"C.C.?" A hand waved in front of her face. "Are you all right?" Concerned violet orbs entered her view.

"What?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side and just sighed. "You're all spacey today. I asked if you were all right."

She considered him for a moment but instead of answering his question did what she wanted, as always. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, whispering a soft, "I love you," in his ear as she pulled away and immediately proceeded to stand up, the cart coming to a halt as she did. They had arrived at their destination. She approached Nunnally, leaving a bewildered boyfriend with a hand lightly touching the cheek she had kissed. He was confused at the sudden and seemingly unwarranted display of affection.

C.C. plopped down beside the younger of the two siblings and whispered, "Nunnally. You're coming with me. We're going to that barn over there and jumping into the hay."

"Huh? Is that allowed?" The girl looked up at her innocently with lavender eyes.

As if on cue the plump cart driver who appeared to be in his forties turned to all the passengers, explaining that unfortunately due to some broken equipment still left in the barn it was closed this year and they weren't allowed in.

Nunnally looked rather disappointed. "Too bad."

"Oh come on. You're as bad as your brother. Live a little. We can just sneak in. It's just some fun. No harm done."

Nunnally bit her lip in uncertainty. "Well...I don't know...I...I guess we could. It sounds like fun..."

"Stop corrupting my sister's mind witch," the elder of the two Lamperouge siblings hissed.

Said 'witch' smirked mildly and asked the younger Lamperouge, "Nunnally, am I corrupting your mind? You can be honest."

"I don't know about corrupting but..."

"Of course you are. Telling her it's okay to break into a building is corruption. Don't listen to her Nunnally."

C.C. kindly looked at the young woman and in an even tone calmly asked, "Nunnally? Would you really like to go? You don't have to. You can stay with your brother and just pick pumpkins or you can come with me and we can have bit of fun. It's your choice. No one's forcing you to do anything."

She frowned, trying to decide. "Well I...I would like to go with C.C.."

"Nunnally!" Lelouch looked horrified. C.C. in contrast looked pleased.

"Let's go C.C.." The sweet girl giggled. The emeraldette complied and hoisted the smaller girl onto her back and stepped off the wagon after the other passengers that had already filed off. Lelouch scrambled after them, much like a worried mother hen.

"Wait!"

"Calm down Lelouch. You don't need to come if you don't want." She scanned her surroundings cautiously, checking that no one was watching, and slipped into the front doors of the barn. After what seemed like an internal battle and a moment's hesitation Lelouch groaned and followed after them.

There was some equipment off to the side, a few large sharp metal pieces piled with it. Nothing would harm them. Thick wooden beams extended from one side of the barn to the other, supports for the structure. There was swing hanging from it and bales of hay were stacked up by the side of it so one could also climb on top of the great wooden beam and leap into the large piles of loose hay spread out at the bottom.

C.C. was satisfied and immediately made for the beam, climbing the makeshift hay bale staircase. She set Nunnally on the sturdy wooden beam and clambered up after the girl to sit beside her.

"Both of you wait! Get down. You could sprain an ankle if you jump from there. These piles don't do all that much. You could miss or you could..."

"Ready Nunnally?" They weren't listening.

"Yeah." In a flurry of long wavy chestnut hair and scarves the girl landed safely, cradled by the thick layer of hay at the bottom. Lelouch rushed up to the edge of the pile.

"Are you okay?"

He was answered with a happy giggle. "That was fun."

"Watch out below." The other girl landed beside her with a swoosh and a small bounce as the hay broke her fall.

"Hey you could at least wait until she moved. You could have landed on her."

"It's called aiming Lelouch."

"You worry too much brother. We're fine. You should do it too. It's fun." Nunnally reached out a hand to tug the hem of his coat. "Come on."

"I'm fine."

"You always have a massive stick up your ass Lelouch. So lackluster. You're never any fun," his girlfriend goaded.

"What? Of course I'm fun. I just don't see the point of jumping into piles of hay. It's childish," he responded haughtily.

"Oh come on Mr. Serious." C.C. stood and took his hand. A smile crept up on her lips but it wasn't a teasing or smug one this time. It was one of those soft, kind ones she reserved for her loved ones. He loved seeing that smile. "Come," she said, her tone gentle and warm this time. After a moment's hesitation he almost visibly melted and gave in.

"...Fine..." He allowed himself to be led up the stacked bales of hay and onto the beam.

He looked down at a smiling Nunnally from where they perched and merely let out a sigh and crossed his arms across his chest. "This is ridiculous."

"Just go." With a firm shove to the back the uptight medical student fell forward, face first with a yelp, into the hay next to his sister.

After righting himself and spitting the hay out his mouth C.C. heard an angry, "Hey! watch it!"

"What? You looked like you needed some help. So I helped."

"You didn't have to shove me."

Nunnally smiled fondly at her brother. "Yes she did Lelouch. You need a little encouragement sometimes."

Lelouch pouted and raised his head imperiously as he crossed his arms and declared, "I'm perfectly fine all by myself thank you very much. And besides, you weren't so mean to Nunnally. It's always me."

"That's because Nunnally is my favourite."

"Of course," he said exasperatedly.

Nunnally giggled. "And C.C. is my favourite."

"Why thank you Nunnally." C.C. smiled down at the girl.

"What?! Nunnally?" The look of horror on the man's face caused the girl to laugh. Lelouch huffed. "Well I see I'm the odd one out. But you." He stood and gazed up at C.C.. "You need to get off your high horse. You're not better than me."

"Of course I am," the witch replied confidently, a smug smirk on her face.

"I think it's time to come back to Earth." A hand darted up, grasping a dangling ankle, pulling it.

Gold eyes widened and C.C. let out a gasp as she began suddenly falling. "Lelouch!" The young woman ended up landing on her assailant, both of them crashing into the hay as she fell on him. As they came to a sudden halt in the plush hay she was greeted with the sight of Lelouch on his back under her, midnight hair fanned out and a smile on his handsome face which was just inches from her own. He let out a laugh at seeing her surprised expression.

"Much better. See? I can be fun," he said smugly.

C.C. regained her composure and was looking down at him, amused. She raised a brow. "Is that so?" Her lips slowly drifted closer to his so she could feel his warm breath on her cold skin. "I seems to me that you're just happy because of our position right now." Her small delicate lips were tantalizingly close to his.

"Maybe in part," he admitted, staring back into entrancing molten gold orbs.

"Hm. Too bad he'll be disappointed." C.C. sat upright on top of him, causing him to widen his eyes. A subtle frown crept over his features and C.C. gently grabbed his lower face, squishing his lips to look like those of a fish. He let out a disgruntled noise and she said, "No kiss for you." C.C. chuckled and let go.

"I don't mean to interrupt but shouldn't we go get the pumpkins? They might leave soon," Nunnally piped up.

"I guess you're right," Lelouch sighed. "Would you mind getting off me?" C.C. complied and Lelouch gained his feet once more. C.C. took a step or two when she was stopped by a gloved hand grasping the wrist of one of her own bare hands. "Wait." A glove was pulled off and she felt the warmth of one of his slender hands around hers. "You're so cold." The hand drifted up to touch the side of her face, caressing her cheek. The gentle touch sent a pleasant shiver up her spine. Concern clouded his eyes. "You're freezing."

"Mm...I wonder why? Maybe because you stole my warm clothes and gave them to Nunnally," the enigmatic girl answered jokingly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry C.C.. You can have them back." The girl reached up to begin tugging on one of her scarves.

"No Nunnally you keep those. You need them."

"I'm fine Nunnally. Don't worry. Your brother is just being a worry wart again. I have my jacket."

Lelouch took one of her hands and forced it into his glove. He stripped off the other one and did the same before reaching up to unwind the scarf around his neck. He wrapped it around her bare throat, expertly securing it in place.

"Lelouch..."

"It's your turn to be warm," he said, a smile touching his face and eyes.

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome. But Nunnally is right. Let's go."

* * *

"Oh...They're already leaving." Nunnally looked longingly at the unclaimed pumpkins still in the field.

Lelouch's expression darkened. "We should have just picked the pumpkins like everyone else."

C.C.'s face remained neutral. "We can just walk back ourselves. No big deal. Right?"

Lelouch, and Nunnally from her position on her brother's back, turned their violet eyes to her.

"It don't imagine they would refuse our money."

"We did break into their barn thanks to you." He sent an accusatory glare her way.

"I just wanted to jump in the hay because I've never done that sort of thing before." The slight change in expression was barely perceptible, but hidden underneath thick lime bangs her eyebrows began to knit together in a subtle look of hurt.

Lelouch opened his mouth to speak but the words died instantly in his throat. He'd become accustomed to interpreting her subtle reactions and instead of continuing his lecture offered a simple apology. "I'm sorry. It's...fine. We'll just try to get some and walk back. I don't imagine they would give us any more than a few harsh words."

The dark-haired man led the way with Nunnally on his back and C.C. trailing a step behind. As he navigated through the pumpkin patch Lelouch asked Nunnally, "Are there any that catch your eye?"

"Hm...what about that one?" She pointed to a small round one. C.C. approached it and picked it up, but immediately placed it back on the ground.

"That one's rotten on the bottom Nunnally."

"You deserve better than that." Lelouch carefully scanned the orange lumps. One stood out from the rest. It was large and round. He circled it, gazing at the specimen with a critical eye. No lumps or bumps speckled it's surface. No rot. No discolourations. It was smooth and vibrant in colour. Aesthetically it was the perfect pumpkin. Nothing but the best for his little sister. "This one. We'll get this one. It's perfect."

"Okay," Nunnally agreed amiably. "If you like it best."

Lelouch nodded, a satisfied smirk on his face. "C.C., if you would pick it up please."

She looked at it skeptically and ignored her boyfriend's request, instead turning to Nunnally. "Are you sure Nunnally?"

The girl smiled and merely stated, "Whatever brother likes best is fine by me. I'll be happy with anything and it's a nice pumpkin."

"What was it you liked about the other one Nunnally?" She asked gently, a warmth she often kept hidden bled into her voice as she addressed the girl.

"Well...I just liked that it was small and round. I thought it was cute. This one's nice too though."

Lelouch cut in. "What are you getting at C.C.? This one is perfect. Just look at it."

She turned and almost immediately made a beeline for a small cluster of unclaimed pumpkins. "What about these Nunnally? They're more like you described."

Her face lit up. "Oh, I like those."

"Which one do you like best?"

"How about that one." C.C. picked up the one the girl indicated and scooped up another as she stooped low. "These will be ours Nunnally."

Lelouch frowned at the chosen pumpkins. "They're kind of small..."

"Bigger isn't always better brother. I really like them."

"But what about the one I chose?"

"Don't sulk just because she likes this one better than the one you chose. I think we're satisfied with these ones Lelouch." Nunnally nodded happily and Lelouch remained silent, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Nunnally addressed him. "What about you Lelouch? Do you want to get the big one?"

"I don't need one. If we're walking back it would be too much of a hassle trying to take three."

"But what about the contest?"

Lelouch eyed the green-haired woman with a smirk. "I can just help you with yours. We can team up to beat that witch," he said conspiratorially. Nunnally giggled.

"I don't care if there's one or two of you. You're still going to lose," C.C responded confidently.

"Hey folks!" It was the voice of a stranger. Lelouch recognized it as the voice of the wagon driver. He internally cursed as they turned to him. He plastered a charming smile across his features.

"Oh I'm sorry sir. It seems we missed the ride by accident," he began apologetically, attempting to be pleasant. "We thought we'd just hike back ourselves."

"No need. Got the cart waiting right over there."

"Hm?" He turned to see the man's words were true.

"That's kind of you. We appreciate it," C.C. replied smoothly.

"Yer welcome miss." The man smiled at her

"I'll just take these back then." C.C. departed for the waiting wagon.

"Thank you for the ride sir. And it's good timing. I suppose we're lucky."

"Well I thought I'd come back for you folks seeing as you decided to take a detour into the barn."

Lelouch was taken aback. "Hm? How did you know?"

"I saw you go after your girl. And I heard you whispering before you got off. You weren't all that quiet and I've got ears like a hawk."

"I guess we weren't as sneaky as we thought," Nunnally commented.

"Ah...I apologize sir. C.C...well she can be bit of a...hassle sometimes," he said, shaking his head exasperatedly, a small smile on his face.

"Don't worry about it. We just made it off limits because lots of little kids come. They play around, end up hurting themselves and then we get the flak from the parents for it even though we warned them about the dangerous equipment lying around. It's not an issue for you three since you're all older and haven't got any little ones running around." The farmer paused and jovial chortles reverberated through his form. "And it's nice to see some young and reckless folk breaking the rules every now and again. Some people take things too seriously. It's nice to see you having some fun whether she's a hassle or not."

"Yes I suppose. She just causes endless problems for me. I sometimes think things you be more peaceful if she weren't around."

The man let out a light laugh once again. "But life could use a little chaos sometimes. It gets boring without it." He turned his head slightly to the side, peering back at the cart, and then the man's green gaze met his amethyst one once again. "I think she's good for you."

The young man felt a little caught off guard at the sudden comment. He frowned, confused, but a spark of curiosity lit up his deep violet eyes. "Hm? What makes you say that sir?"

The farmer looked at the younger man amusedly."You're so formal with all yer sirs and thank yous. She seems to loosen you up a bit. You would have just gone off with all the rest of the customers and never chased after her in that barn if she weren't here. And even when you complain she's a hassle and pretend to be annoyed you can't hide that little smile of yours."

"What?" The man let out another hearty laugh at Lelouch's surprised face.

"You can't miss it boy."

Nunnally giggled quietly from his back. "It's true Lelouch. You're always so serious. Even if you pretend you don't, you always end up smiling more around her. That happened even today. And it's cute how you always tease each other. And I've never met anyone who could get you so flustered. It's funny. I love C.C., and I know you do too brother. You should just tell her more often."

"What? I..." He began to protest but his indignant features softened as he admitted, "I suppose you're right." The other two smiled at him.

"Don't mean to ruin the fun but we should get going. Are you getting a pumpkin too?"

"You should brother. Then you can take part in the contest as well."

"Uh...I..." His eyes wavered and he found himself staring at the pumpkin he'd chosen earlier. An idea sprang into his mind. "That one if you don't mind."

"You got it." The burly man lumbered over and hoisted the large pumpkin into his arms. The three began approaching to the cart.

"Don't think you're going to win just because you chose the bigger pumpkin Lelouch. We're not going to let you," Nunnally joked.

"Ah, but I've got a plan."

"You might be smart brother but you shouldn't be so confident you'll win. I've got an idea too. And I don't think you can beat it."

C.C. was waiting for them as they approached. He locked eyes with her and his expression softened. He looked back at the pumpkin, contemplating it. A deep sense of satisfaction washed over him. It felt right. Though he was generally a very logical person, he could feel it in his gut and he put full faith in that. "I'm going to win. I can promise you that."

* * *

"There you go."

"Why thank you." Sarcasm dripped from the words.

An amused laugh trilled out from Nunnally.

"You find this funny too huh?"

"Yup."

The victim let out a sigh. The sound was followed by a wet splat as the orange goop slipped from ebony silk strands and hit the immaculate white tile floor of the kitchen. A loud groan emanated from Lelouch only causing the grins of the two young women to grow wider.

"I'm not cleaning that up."

"We all know you are."

"You always make such a mess of my beautiful house."

"That's my job."

The trio stood and sat around the island in the middle of the kitchen, each with their gutted pumpkins set out before them. Lelouch stood apart from the other two at one end of the island and the two females stood and sat respectively along the side at the other end. C.C. had thought it would be hilarious if she gave Lelouch a pumpkin guts hat and so had promptly proceeded to slop a fistful of the orange, seedy goop onto her significant other's head. And now that goop had slid off onto the floor.

"But you see C.C..." He picked up two fistfuls of his own plentiful orange goop, uncaring of the mess now smeared over his hands, and plopped it on C.C.'s green tresses. "...You missed a spot. I took care of it for you. You're welcome."

C.C. didn't react with anything more than an amused twitch of the lips, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. The goop on her own head landed with a squelching splat beside the other handful. "That's better...but you still forgot something very important." She picked up another large fistful, looking smugly at Lelouch.

"C.C...no," he said firmly.

"Okay," she agreed immediately, twirling rapidly and catching Nunnally by surprise with the goop. The girl let out a surprised gasp as she felt the pumpkin mush meet the top of her head. "All better now." C.C.'s wide Cheshire-like grin exuded smugness.

"C.C.!" Lelouch scolded.

Nunnally just blinked dazedly for a few seconds until the pile of goop on her head plummeted to splatter across the floor as well with a satisfying splat. Her fine featured face broke into a grin and she laughed. "I guess we're all a mess now. We'll need to bathe and clean up after we're done."

"Hmph. All thanks to C.C.."

"You're welcome," the green-haired woman answered coolly, a smirk tugging at the edges of her lips.

A sigh followed with a small smile was her answer.

The drawer slid open as Lelouch pulled the handle. He picked up three knives, one for each of them, and held them up.

"So here are the rules."

"Lelouch, we don't need rules."

"Of course we do. One. No messing around with the knives. Two. Have fun."

"Rich coming from you," C.C. cut in.

Lelouch sent her an annoyed glance. "Don't interrupt. And three...this one is important. No trying to sneak a look at my pumpkin."

"But why not brother? We all want to see too."

"Because I don't want you trying to steal my brilliant idea. I'm going to win remember," He stated, matter-of-factly.

"You're not going to win. And what if we don't want you stealing our ideas?"

"Then do the same as me. But don't worry. I have no intentions of carving a Cheese-kun face into my pumpkin like you. Your 'secret' idea is safe."

C.C. didn't respond. She sometimes hated his brain and also that he knew her well. That was exactly what she was going to do.

He held out two of the knives. C.C. plucked one from his fingers and Nunnally reached for the other. "And Nunnally, I can help if you-" He caught the icy glance from C.C. and paused, fighting against his natural instinct to dote on his sister constantly. His girlfriend was right about Nunnally needing some independence since she was seventeen, but it still took nearly all of his willpower to say, "Just make sure you're careful."

"Thank you brother. I will be." She plucked the other knife from his fingers, smiling kindly as she did.

Each of them set to work. C.C. did indeed carve out a face exactly like the one on her Cheese-kun. She even had a little black top hat which she placed on its lumpy head. Nunnally opted to carve out the face of a cat. He brother's concern was unwarranted as she had no mishaps and was cautious the entire time. When she finished and saw her brother, seemingly the slowest of the three, still carving and quickly discarding the scraps in the garbage can next to him, she decided to add accessories. Using pipe cleaners, tooth picks, felt and a glue gun she made ears, a tail and whiskers for her pumpkin cat.

"Done!" Nunnally exclaimed as the last piece was set into place.

By now C.C. had stretched out lackadaisically on the couch, her efforts to see Lelouch's pumpkin quickly being thwarted by a knife waving in front of her face. "Are you done yet Lelouch?"

"I'm almost done. Be patient."

"I should get bonus points for finishing first."

"No. You had just as much time as me. You however chose to waste it by eating pizza on the couch. And unlike you, I have a complicated design. It's delicate work."

"It doesn't need to be perfect you know. It's just pumpkin carving."

"Yes it does. It's important," he stated firmly, eyes still fixed on his jack-o'-lantern and hands still deftly working to carve out his design.

"You always get so competitive." She sighed. "Well you're still going to lose to Nunnally. Look at her cute cat."

"I'm going to win. There is no getting around that," Lelouch answered arrogantly.

"But are you almost finished brother? You've been working on that for an awfully long time."

"I'm just fixing it up. One moment." He paused and seemed to throw one last thing into the garbage before stepping back to evaluate his masterpiece. A smug, self-assured smile rested on his features as he admired the finished product. "Perfect," he purred. He shifted his attention to the drawer, opening it again, searching for something. "I swear I put them here...C.C., would you mind getting the candles from the basement? It seems I forgot to restock the drawer."

"I do mind though. I'm comfortable. Why can't you?"

"Just go."

"But why? You're really telling me _you, _Mr. Everything-has-to-be-in-its-proper-place, suddenly forgot to follow your routine and restock the drawer."

"Yes. Just go."

She opened he mouth again.

"Go," he commanded.

She sighed and rolled off the couch, sauntering down the hall in the direction of the basement. When she was gone Lelouch averted his attention back to the drawer. A lighter appeared on the flat surface of the granite counter and soon, an entire stack of the 'missing' candles joined them.

"Lelouch? I thought you said that they were downstairs."

"I lied," he explained simply. Lelouch opened the boxes and pulled out a number of candles. He began to light them, placing them one by one, their flickering flames dancing, on the counter.

"What are you doing? We don't need that many candles..."

"It's so we can see when we turn off the lights. And to create atmosphere."

"Huh? I'm confused. You said...what are you doing?"

"It's a surprise." A fond smile spread across his face as he continued efficiently lighting and placing candles.

"For C.C.?"

"Mhm. It's just a little idea that popped into my head at the pumpkin patch." He lit the final candle and opened the top of his jack-o'-lantern. With one last lingering look at the bright little flame he ever so gingerly placed the candle in the hollowed out pumpkin and replaced the top. "Nunnally, could you please turn off the lights?"

"Uh...sure," she answered hesitantly, wheeling over and flicking the lights off before returning to her original position. "But can't I know what's happen-" The words died on her lips as lavender eyes grew wide in the dim light. "Oh...oh brother," she breathed. A delighted grin spread across her face at seeing his pumpkin turned around to face the entrance to the room and Nunnally.

Lelouch couldn't help the grin uncharacteristically splitting across his face. He held a finger to his curved lips. "Don't say anything."

"I won't. Don't worry."

Finally he stepped out from behind the counter to stand beside his jack-o'-lantern. His figure and handsome features were illuminated by the warm, flickering light of the candles and he slid his hand into his pocket, taking out the object he had been storing there for a number of weeks, just waiting for the right moment. It was time.

From down the hall they heard a, "I got the candles...Why is it so dark down there?"

An unexpected nervous thrill suddenly ran through him at her voice, sending electricity across every one of his nerves. He swallowed. He hadn't expected to feel like this but he took a deep breath to still his suddenly trembling hand. C.C. entered the room, a box of candles in hand.

She took in the sight of the lit candles placed about the kitchen and confusedly began, "You lied to-" C.C. stopped dead in her tracks as she saw him and it, the glowing jack-o'-lantern. Aureate eyes widened in surprise.

Lelouch's warm smile returned at her reaction and the black velvet box opened, a clam revealing the precious jewel concealed within. Lelouch sank down to rest on one knee. Her hand went slack from shock and the candles hit the floor with a clatter. Finally, he voiced the four words carved into his jack-o'-lantern, illuminated by the warm orange light of the flickering candle shining through.

"C.C., will you marry me?"

Silence. An uncomfortable silence. The nervousness twisted in his gut again as she just stared wide-eyed at him. The seconds ticked by steadily his mind, each in time with his pounding heart.

"C.C.? An answer would be appreciated..." He stood again. "C.C.?" Her luminous gold eyes weren't so wide anymore; her eyelids sank to lend them a heavy-lidded appearance as she regarded him. It appeared as though they were misted over with moisture and the unshed tears reflected the warm glow of the candles. She took a step towards him. Then another. Swiftly grasping either side of his face in her hands, she pulled his head down and captured his lips with hers as her eyes drifted shut.

He stared at her wide-eyed momentarily before smiling into the kiss and returning the gesture, eyes falling shut, arms wrapping around her slender frame to pull it against his, fingers twining into the soft emerald cascade of hair, lips locking tenderly, and warmth and love filling him so that he could feel it in every inch of his body and mind.

Their lips parted and their foreheads leant forward to touch, smiles warming their features.

"Do I win?" he whispered.

"You win."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading; it means a lot! And thank you to anyone of they decide to favourite or review. I like those things as I'm sure anyone could guess. I love hearing from readers so if you have a minute tell me what you thought. Did you like it? Did you dislike it? Is there anything you want to say? Tell me in a review. Praise comments, criticism, suggestions, requests, observations etc are all welcome and appreciated immensely. And of course if you don't want to review that's okay too. Thanks just for reading. =) I appreciate that immensely too. Especially seeing as it was so long...oh gosh.

Also the cover photo is the artwork of one of the many awesome Code Geass artists and my personal favourite Code Geass artist, Creayus. I would encourage you to check out Creayus' work. Just type "Creayus" into the search bar and his/her website will come right up. I also know Creayus has a tumblr if you're interested.

Me rambling and complaining so don't read if you don't want: Believe it or not this started out small. I sort of wanted to just write a simple little fic for Halloween and had no idea what the heck to do. So I debated for a while and decided hey, trying out fluff(well it ended up being a little more angsty than I predicted) with a little oneshot about pumpkin carving would be fun. But then it kept growing...and growing. It was like watching a horror story unfold before me. I thought this would be like 1k... And I wrote it in a few days. I'm so tired right now...It's like past 2:30 am on a school night/morning and I haven't gotten much sleep this week.

So even though I just complained up there^ I had tons of fun writing this. I couldn't stop.

By the way it was Rolo and Nunnally's birthday on October 25th so I made a reference in honour of it because I sort of wanted to write a fic for it but was too late.

Now onto characterization comments. I changed a few things because...AU but I still feel in my opinion they are decently in character even for our canon ones. I went with my headcanons and this is what they'd be like to me. I imagine this is how Nunnally and C.C. would be and I see C.C. as being the one to mediate. It's a headcanon of mine and it seems to fit really well in my opinion. Lelouch loves Nunnally so much and is so protective that he tends to smother her and impede her growth. I feel like we really only see character development from her in the second season...in his absence, so it's nice to have C.C. here to combat him and allow growth. I also made C.C. more open...because guess what...she's with loved ones...her family. And she's not an immortal witch the offers contracts to get people to kill her. It makes sense to me. And besides she was strongly heading in that direction in my opinion in the end. Lelouch I would might generally have being more blushy and embarrassed around others with public displays of affection in certain circumstances because that's my headcanon but I didn't emphasize that as much because Nunnally being around and seeing it would be commonplace considering she lives with them. He'd certainly adjust and besides he doesn't need to be ridiculously over the top with it. And I even added that sexual innuendo with it because it made me happy...so yeah... And I put in bit on how I see Lelouch and C.C.'s relationship. I really think she can loosen him up and I love it. It's good for him.

I've been ranting for long enough(WAY MORE than enough) so yeah...ajkfehjkf...thanks again and it's sleepy time for me. Goodnight. I wish you all the best.


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